Summer's Song

We finally got some much needed rain this morning.

After all the rain we had in early June, I was pretty sure we wouldn't need anymore this summer.

Well ha, I was wrong!

Things were starting to get pretty dry and with the heat wave last week things were starting to look pretty dry as well.

I watered last week and with the heat and humidity, my little annual garden grew in leaps and bounds.

Here's how it looked on June 11th of this year.

And here is how it looks a little over a month later on

July 19.

Quite a difference isn't it?

My Cleome on June 11th.

I only paid a buck for six of these little plants at a local nursery.

I really had no idea how they would look, as I had never planted them before.

I just knew they would be tall and I wanted something tall in the back here.

Looking quite different on July 19th.

I am sure glad I grabbed them when I did.

And this is one of my happy mistakes!

I literally grabbed this plant by mistake and I am sure glad I did.

It's a foxglove and it is just starting to open.

The color is called Camelot Creme, how perfect with the royal baby on the way.

It will come back next year and be much taller.

My endless summer hydrangea have never looked better!

I cut some blooms for the table yesterday.

They seem so purple in this light.

They are kind of a mix, some blue, some slightly pinkish purple.

I found a trick too that works great for keeping them fresh.

When I first brought one in it wilted within a few hours.

I thought oh man this stinks.

However I learned that by cutting off the stems again while they are under running water and then placing them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, I would have hydrangeas that lasted and lasted.

The boiling water opens up the stem and the sap which tends to get thick and allows the hydrangeas to draw up water.

Working on sprucing up the front porch a little bit. 

I painted our old wicker chairs a color called summer squash.

I will get some more pics this week to share later.

Oh the joys of summer.

It seems to go by in a flash.

Bringing back memories of our childhood.

I thought I would leave you with one of my all time

favorite oldies, A Summer Song by

Chad and Jeremy.

The year was 1965.  I was still a little girl but I 

dreamed of being a teenager.

Just click arrow below to hear them on the Dick Clark show.

Enjoy!

I am joining:

Met. Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

The Scoop @ Confessions of a Plate Addict

Tips and Tutorials @ Stone Gable

Dog days of summer.

The 4th of July is kind of like the mid-way point of summer.

I love the holiday but I hate that June has left us.

I found this little shirt for Addison at a garage sale for a buck.

The skirt was $5 at Wally's and her bow is left over from last years ribbon stash.

I thought she looked pretty festive for the day.

 I love summer and of course it's goes by way too fast.  I want to take in every fair and festival around.  I want to travel, grow flowers and spend time just soaking up the sun.
Over the 4th, we made it down to one of our favorite festivals, River Fest in Lacrosse, WI.   We had little Addison in tow and it was a really fun day!   She got to go down some gigantic blown up slides.

Ride around on a cute little train.

Have her little face painted.

And cool off in the fun fountain/ kiddie wading pools.  There was a magician and a really amazing clown act.  We left with one little tired 2-1/2 year old who kept saying, "I don't want to ever leave, I don't want to ever go home, not ever, not ever. "   hehe.

My flowers are growing like gang busters and filling in beautifully!
We've had beautiful weather lately.  Mostly in the 80's, sometimes humid, sometimes not.  I prefer the not, but the plants seem to like the humid.

And my hydrangeas are making me smile this year!  Last year between the early heat wave and the low rain I had maybe one bloom.  This summer they are full of blooms .

This is a smaller clematis I have near the garage.  It's doesn't get as much sun as my larger one but with the rain and warm temps it's done wonderfully this year.

I planted 6 teeny impatience that I got for a buck.  This old bird bath has worked great as a planter for them.

I have always loved daisies!

And I am thrilled with my lilies!  I put one teeny tiny one in here last summer hoping it might grow.  Well grow it did and divide and bloom!  I am a new lover of lilies, they are amazing plants and I am going searching for some great deals on them to plant mid-summer.
                                                                       How is your summer going friends?
                                                                                         Cindy
                                                                               

I am joining Seasonal Sunday's at The Tablescaper.

Budget Patio Decorating

     Happy first of July friends. Summer as usual seems to be flying by.  With the 4th just a few days away I wanted to share with you our patio.  We have a small covered front porch that DH and I use more frequently.  But our patio still gets it share of use.

As I was tidying it up yesterday I realized that everything out here has been re-done from it's original state.  Our picnic table was the sorriest of things and looked ready for the fire-pit. A couple of years ago, DH tore it apart and made it like new again.  To see that post click here.

I was going to set a complete table out here but my 2 year old grand-daughter thought we were playing kitchen and restaurant so I just set out my burlap place mats with jean pockets that I made a few years back.  

Another angle.  DH drilled a hole so that we could use an umbrella with our picnic table. 

I wonder if I can paint the umbrella too. It's only a few years old but the sun has faded it out quite a bit.

The chair was a gift from my daughter and I have it filled with petunias.

DH just finished the railing.  It too was old and the paint was chipping like crazy.

He tore the whole thing apart and made it like new again.

To see that post click here.

You can see that my clematis has just started to bloom.

I love petunias and I plant them quite frequently.

Here I have one of two old fashioned metal lawn chairs that I bought at an auction years ago.

I think I paid $20 for the two of them.  A few years ago DH gave them a new paint job.

To see how he did that click here.  

I have an old table covered with a patriotic tablecloth and ready to use for plates and as a place to set some snacks.

I made the patriotic pillow last summer after seeing them on Etsy.

No pattern necessary they really are quite easy.

The wrought iron set was purchased about 20 years ago.  They originally were black but last summer I spray painted them a cheery red. I made some simple cushions from outdoor fabric, a lot cheaper than buying them in the store.

To see more click here.

An old tea pot becomes a fun little planter.

Just drill some holes in the bottom for drainage.

Another view of the recently redone patio fencing.

I found this shelf at a garage sale for $5.  It was new from Home Goods and still had the tags on it.

Hubby used dry wall screws to anchor it to the stone, and now it's a handy little planter.

Over here you can see my other old patio chair painted a dark blue.

And the other side of the  patio fencing that DH recently re-did.

An old deep metal pan becomes a funky planter with just a few holes drilled in the bottom.

I bought this old coffee pot at an auction and it's become one of my favorite planters.

A view from our picnic table.

Thanks for stopping by, I sure would love to hear from you.

Cindy

I am joining the following fun blog parties.

Met. Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Tweak it Tuesday @ Cozy Little House

Tutorials and Tips @ Stone Gable

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll thru Life